A wrapping machine used in manufacture of cigarettes is presented in detail in published U.S. Patent Application No. 2004/0118416 A1, for example. In this wrapping machine, a wrapping-paper web continuously supplied is supported and conveyed length ways by a garniture tape, and on the upper side of this wrapping-paper web, a controlled amount of shredded tobacco is disposed. Then, by continuously wrapping the shredded tobacco in the wrapping-paper web by bending both sides of the wrapping-paper web, a continuous tobacco rod is continuously formed. During this process, seam glue for sticking together the opposite side ends of the wrapping-paper web wrapped around the shredded tobacco is applied to one side end of the wrapping-paper web continuously supplied to the wrapping machine.
International Patent Publication No. 2004/064546 discloses application of a flavoring material for suppressing a particular smell of cigarettes without harming the taste thereof, to a wrapping-paper web. The flavoring material of this type is, for example, a liquid prepared by dissolving a flavoring substance in a CMC (carboxymethylcellulose) aqueous solution or a benzine alcohol suspension. The amount of the flavoring material applied to the wrapping-paper web is great, compared with the seam glue. Further, the amount of the flavoring material applied to the wrapping-paper web affects the quality of the cigarettes manufactured. Thus, it is necessary to control the amount of the flavoring material applied, accurately.
Meanwhile, the speed of supply of the wrapping-paper web to the wrapping machine is varied depending on the operating speed of the wrapping machine, namely the speed at which the wrapping machine forms a continuous tobacco rod. Thus, when the flavoring material is applied to the wrapping-paper web while the continuous tobacco rod is being formed, it is important to adjust the rate of supply of the flavoring material to an application nozzle depending on the traveling speed of the wrapping-paper web (speed of supply of the wrapping-paper web) so that the flavoring material will be applied to the wrapping-paper web in a fixed amount per unit area. There is, however, observed a problem that although the operation of a pump for supplying the flavoring material to the flavoring-material application nozzle is controlled depending on the speed of supply of the wrapping-paper web so that the flavoring material will be applied to the wrapping-paper web in a fixed amount per unit area, the amount per unit area of the flavoring material applied to the wrapping-paper web gradually increases.